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World Bank sees global growth slowing in 2019

Says SL likely to grow at 4%, South Asia to grow at 7.1%

Reuters: The growth of the global economy is expected to slow to 2.9% in 2019 compared with 3% in 2018, the World Bank said on Tuesday, citing elevated trade tensions and international trade moderation.

“At the beginning of 2018 the global economy was firing on all cylinders, but it lost speed during the year and the ride could get even bumpier in the year ahead,” World Bank Chief Executive Officer Kristalina Georgieva said in the semi-annual Global Economic Prospects report here.

The World Bank outlook comes as the United States and China have been engaged in a bitter trade dispute, which has jolted financial markets across the world for months. The two economies have imposed tit-for-tat duties on each other’s goods, although there were signs of progress on Tuesday as the two countries prepared to enter a third day of talks in Beijing.

Growth in the United States is likely to slow to 2.5% this year from 2.9% in 2018, while China is expected to grow at 6.2% in the year compared with 6.5% in 2018, according to the World Bank.

Emerging market economies are expected to grow at 4.2% this year, with advanced economies expected to grow at 2%, the World Bank said in the report.

In South Asia regional growth is expected to accelerate to 7.1% in 2019, underpinned by strengthening investment and robust consumption. India is forecast to accelerate to 7.3% in FY 2018/19 as consumption remains robust and investment growth continues.

Bangladesh is expected to slow to 7% in FY2018/19 as activity is supported by strong private consumption and infrastructure spending. Pakistan’s growth is projected to decelerate to 3.7% in FY2018/19, with financial conditions tightening to help counter rising inflation and external vulnerabilities.

Sri Lanka is anticipated to speed up slightly to 4% in 2019, supported by robust domestic demand and investment boosted by infrastructure projects. Nepal’s post-earthquake momentum is forecast to moderate, and growth should slow to 5.9 percent in FY2018/19.